Over the past few years, the family's wealth had grown significantly. However, much of it had been used to pay off debts owed to family members and to cover annual stipends. After clearing these obligations, the family treasury likely held no more than three thousand spirit stones.
The eight thousand spirit stones Elian received were likely pooled together by the patriarch and the other two Foundation Establishment cultivators, supplemented by the spirit stones confiscated from Zuo Younian.
Taking the spirit stones, Elian reflected, "Seven or eight years ago, I traveled alone to Tianxu Mountain with just over two thousand spirit stones. I was so afraid of being ambushed and robbed that I couldn't sleep at night."
"To buy Yangmai Pills for Uncle Ancestor, I secretly investigated for over half a month before mustering the courage to enter Tianxu Pavilion."
"Now, holding eight thousand spirit stones, I feel no tension at all. It's as if those days were just yesterday."
The elder patriarch and the third elder chuckled at his words.
Now that Elian had been in the Foundation Establishment stage for several years and possessed his natal celestial sword and two second-tier high-grade artifacts, he could likely hold his own even against late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Such confidence naturally made him fearless.
After celebrating the new year, Elian didn't linger and departed the next day, flying toward Feng County.
With his cultivation level now deeper, he could travel over six thousand miles per day using his sword. Although Feng County was more than sixty thousand miles away from Yu County, it took him just over ten days to arrive.
Upon entering Feng County, Elian didn't rush to Fengyang Market, where the Barter Conference was held. Instead, he first flew to the Liu Immortal Clan.
The Liu Immortal Clan was one of the seven Foundation Establishment clans in Feng County. Since the fall of the Zuo Clan, it was now one of the six.
This clan ranked among the strongest of the six Foundation Establishment clans in Feng County. Their family specialty was the renowned Golden Silkworms.
Golden Silkworm Silk was in high demand across Bianzhou. The clans of the three counties regularly used it to set up formations, making the Liu Clan an additional annual profit of about one thousand spirit stones solely from this unique product.
Thanks to this lucrative resource, the Liu Clan ranked second in Feng County's Foundation Establishment clans. They boasted five Foundation Establishment cultivators, and their matriarch, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator at the seventh level, was even stronger than the patriarch of the Mu Clan in Yu County.
After arriving at the Liu Clan's mountain gate, Elian didn't intrude. Instead, he circulated his vital energy and called out loudly, "Elian of the Chen family from Qingyuan Mountain seeks an audience with the Liu Clan."
"Would Liu Clan Daoists be willing to meet me?"
With that, he descended to a reception pavilion at the foot of the mountain to wait.
After a while, two figures flew out on swords—a man and a woman, both Foundation Establishment cultivators.
The man, appearing elderly, was at the sixth level of Foundation Establishment. The woman, though looking about 27 or 28, had reached the seventh level, clearly proficient in maintaining her youthful appearance.
The woman smiled warmly as she approached and said, "This morning, magpies were chirping incessantly. I thought we must have a distinguished guest arriving, and indeed, I was right."
"Daoist Chen, your visit is a great honor for our Liu Clan."
Her words were gracious and pleasant, making Elian feel quite at ease. He rose and returned the courtesy with a smile, saying, "You must be the Liu Clan matriarch. I've long heard of your remarkable beauty, and seeing you today, it's like beholding a celestial being."
"You flatter me," the woman replied, bowing slightly.
"I am Liu Jueyan. It's an honor to meet you. Who in Bianzhou hasn't heard of the famed duel at Qingyuan Mountain, where you slew Lin Baixi's arm with your sword?"
After some polite exchanges, Elian moved to the purpose of his visit.
"To be frank, I've come to purchase some Golden Silkworm Silk."
"Golden Silkworm Silk?" the elderly man frowned and said reluctantly, "The silk we've accumulated over the past three years was reserved by Daoist Lin from Qingyang Sect a decade ago."
"Elder!" Liu Jueyan interrupted him and turned to Elian with a smile.
"The three counties of Bianzhou are like one body, and the Foundation Establishment clans should foster closer ties."
"How about this: I'll temporarily decline Daoist Lin's request and sell this batch of Golden Silkworm Silk to you instead."
Elian was pleasantly surprised and quickly expressed his gratitude.
"Thank you so much. My Chen family will take all the silk you've accumulated over the past three years."
Liu Jueyan smiled faintly.
"Please wait a moment; I'll have someone bring the silk."
Half an hour later, Elian purchased 3.4 jin (roughly 2 kg) of Golden Silkworm Silk from the Liu Clan for 3,000 spirit stones.
This amount of Golden Silkworm Silk, combined with auxiliary materials and infused with some Five Elements energy, was enough to craft several sets of second-tier low-grade formation flags.
"With this, the formations of the six towns in Pingyang are finally ready for an upgrade," Elian thought with satisfaction. While the spiritual veins of the six towns were only first-tier high-grade, they could barely support the power of second-tier low-grade formations, which should be enough to resist a Foundation Establishment cultivator for a while.
Once the upgraded formations were in place, the six towns would serve as defensive and early warning outposts, significantly increasing the safety of the surrounding area.
With the towns only a few hundred miles from Pingyang City, the elder patriarch could provide reinforcements in an instant. This would ensure that the hundreds of miles of fertile plains could be gradually developed, enough to feed millions of people.
With the transaction completed, Elian smiled and said, "Since the trade is finished, I won't impose any longer. Thank you again for selling the Golden Silkworm Silk to my Chen family. We will remember this kindness."
Liu Jueyan nodded and replied, "I won't see you off then."
After Elian left, the Liu Clan's elder couldn't hold back his concerns. He stood and asked, "That Golden Silkworm Silk was reserved by Lin Muhua of Qingyang Sect ten years ago. Selling it to the Chen family—how will we explain this to Lin Muhua?"
"He's an Outer Sect Elder of Qingyang Sect and a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Can we afford to offend him?"
"Qingyang Sect?" Liu Jueyan sneered.
"Do you remember seventy years ago, during the demonic beast outbreak, when two of our uncles from the Liu Clan perished? What did Qingyang Sect do?"
The elder froze, his expression darkening with resentment.
"Qingyang Sect acted unjustly, and they still owe our Liu Clan a Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Exactly," Liu Jueyan said, nodding.
"And have you heard that Chen Qingyuan of the Chen family passed away shortly after consuming a Foundation Establishment Pill from Qingyang Sect?"
"What?" The elder's face turned pale with shock.
Liu Jueyan closed her eyes and sighed.
"The alliance with Qingyang is like paper. Qingyang Sect is unreliable. They only care about Qingzhou and Yangzhou. Twenty years from now, when the next demonic beast outbreak occurs, Bianzhou's three counties will have to rely on unity and mutual support to survive."
...
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I need POWAAA! Gimme Power Stonesssss :D